Are thermostats always more efficient?

selgann

Hi, I live in a new build flat with underfloor hot water heating. It takes ages to get the heat going and the flat up to temperature, like 2 hours on full power, but then stays quite warm for the rest of the day and maybe need another full hour at night.

My question is, if I bring it up to temperature and then leave the thermostat to regulate it will this be more efficient and cheaper than the 'little' I use daily when I control it manually?

Another similar question: my mum lives alone in a 1930s 3 bed terrace with a wood extension dining room and the house loses heat very easily. Lately she has the heating on like 60 to 70% of waking hours. In this case (old, inefficient house) is it also still better to install a thermostat control, and where? and how much should it cost generally speaking?

Thanks!

selgann

PS, I work from home, and my mum also stays home mostly, being retired.

Farway

A thermostat will be more efficient, however from experience & marriage I have found a lot of females [sorry for the sexist line] do not believe a thermostat

So when thermostat cuts out at say 65C in January often it is thought "Too cold" but if it was 65c on a sunny day in July then it would be considered warm & pleasant

A thermosat control should be in the room you use most, like the lounge, living room etc, not the hall. That way it will cut out when you are comfortable and who cares it the hall is a bit cooler?

Fire_Fox

You haven't advised what temperature you are starting from and aiming for with your two hours a day. The hotter you have it and the colder it is outside the more heat you will lose via the fabric of the building. Do you have easy access to your electric/gas meter(s)? If so try a week on each system.

Your mum needs to get the house insulated, then worry about the thermostat later. The extension probably doesn't count as a room it's just a glorified shed (I don't mean to be rude BTW). What is her loft insulation like? And the windows? Is she entitled to any grants for insulation works?

selgann

Thanks, that's as I thought. However, reading other threads on the issue, the response is mixed. I know it's hard to say without knowing the specifics, but why do some people say absolutely not, it's much more expensive to leave it on thermostat control and others saying it is more efficient?

I suppose it makes a difference that my flat is fairly efficient and I work at home.

In answer to your question, I don't know about temperatire specifics but if it is really cold it takes up to 2 hours to get the flat up to temp and then stays pretty warm for much of the day till sunset. Then if it's cold but not too too cold, it takes about an hour or slightly more.

My mum's extension was actually architect designed so it's not a makeshift 'shed' type thing, and is cold because one entire wall is all glass, the other shares a thin brick wall with the neighbour's extension and the other with the old small and very cold kitchen.

Cardew

Farway wrote: »

So when thermostat cuts out at say 65C in January often it is thought "Too cold" but if it was 65c on a sunny day in July then it would be considered warm & pleasant

I really hope you mean 65F

Farway

Cardew wrote: »

I really hope you mean 65F

Oops, yes I did, well spotted